2600 miles East

Well I still haven’t found a regular posting schedule. This week I was delayed in writing as my family and I have been on the road the last week and I just started my senior year of college yesterday. Wow. I still can’t believe this is happening. To recount the trip, my last day of work was a rainy Thursday back in Montana (literally the fourth time it had rained all summer).

Day 1: Helena, MT to Ranchester WY (380 miles)

On Friday, aka Day 1 of the trek, I had an early start to the day as I wanted to see my friend in Bozeman one more time before I left and she had work at 10, so we planned an 8 am run together, which meant I had to leave Helena at 6 am. (Yay) We did manage to meet up and have a misty morning run through the forest which was lovely. After changing into some dry clothes I stopped at my favorite pastry shop in Bozeman, Wild Crumb and met my parents who were caravanning with me across the country. We got a few pastries and a loaf of bread, then swung by Treeline Coffee next door to fuel up on caffeine before the long drive. We were hoping to hike up in the Twin Lakes area along the way, but it was consistently rainy throughout the day so we decided to continue on. I attempted to stop and walk every hour or two but the rain was not on my side and I got soaking wet during each attempt. We ended up settling on stopping at a tiny, inconspicuous state park in Wyoming that didn’t have much going for it other than the view of the Bighorn Mountains in the background. I think total driving time that day was around 5 or 6 hours, maybe a bit extra because of the weather. I started listening to the audiobook “The Vanishing Half” by Brit Bennett and finished it on day three of the trip. Not the usual book I’d choose, but it’s a super interesting tale of two African-American sisters growing up in the mid-1900’s with really poignant conversations about race, sexuality, sexism, along with some romance and mystery.

Day 2: Ranchester, WY to Custer, SD (238 miles)

The second day on the road was a bit sunnier, with a blitz through Wyoming and into South Dakota at around 4 or 5 hours of total driving time. It was nice to start seeing familiar routes, though I would NOT recommend stopping at the gas station in Moorcroft, WY to get Caribou Coffee, the service was terrible and the coffee was burnt unfortunately. I hadn’t been to my hometown in a long time, so it was nice to relax at home and spend some time un/repacking to prep for the further trip west. I was able to meet up with one of my friends from home that evening for a short hike and picnic dinner. (I was also very excited to use an oven after three months and made a big batch of chocolate chip cookies).

Day 3: Stayed in Custer, SD

Sunday was a stay at home and explore the area. I hiked up the tallest point in South Dakota, Black Elk Peak, which is a lovely 7 mile hike with around 2000 feet of elevation gain. In the afternoon some friends came over and we chatted outside and got to catch up.

Day 4: Custer, SD to the Palisades, SD (412 miles)

The next day was a longer 6-7 hour haul east across the state. We had some car issues and my father missed picking up a prescription, which delayed us; plus there was a strong headwind which didn't help with pulling the camper. It was a long, boring drive. We made it to the Palisades in the evening, which is not nearly as exciting as Custer. The weather was hot and humid, and even a short walk had us sweating buckets. The dog fell into the river when she was getting a drink but she didn’t seem to mad about it.

Day 5: Palisades, SD to William Lunney Park, Madison, WI (439 miles)

This day was another hot one, with scattered storms throughout the trip. The Caribou Coffee in Albert Lea, MN was much better. We made it to the lovely town park in Madison Wisconsin where I got rained on yet again, big surprise. There was a bunch of fun flora and fauna on this trip, including a group of sand hill cranes I startled and a turkey that nearly hit me as it flew out of a tree. There were also various ducks and other wetland birds by the river. Right at sunset the rain cleared and a beautiful rainbow filled the sky.

Day 6: Madison, WI to East Harbor, OH (445 miles)

The next part of our journey took us through Illinois and Indiana into Ohio. Again, nothing super exciting but we did stay at a nice (albeit very crowded) park on Lake Erie. I went for a very sticky run throughout the park where the trails were not well maintained and had to turn around multiple times because of mud, erosion, or overgrowth. I did encounter snakes, turtles, herons, egrets, cardinals, and other birds as well as some fun plants like marsh strawberry, phragmites, and water lilies.

Day 7: East Harbor, OH to Green Lakes, NY (430 miles)

Another long day of driving (I’ve honestly lost track of time on the road at this point), but we made it from Ohio through Pennsylvania and into New York! We officially reached the land of Dunkin’ Donuts which was a sure sign that we’re nearing the east coast. The seasonal flavors are out so I went for the basic but delicious iced pumpkin lattee with oatmilk (because I’m a lactose intolerant gal) and my parents indulged in a medley of munchkins. The park we stayed at was very official and beautiful with two green lakes, miles of fields, woods, and access to the Erie Canal River trail. I went for a long 8 mile run and barely put a dent in the network of over 20 miles of trails.

Day 8: Green Lakes, NY to Burlington, VT (257 miles)

The last day of the voyage was an excited (and exhausted) final jaunt from upstate New York winding around the mountains and lakes until we reached my college town of Burlington Vermont. I moved into my new space with a bit of hassle and plenty of exasperation with myself for owning so much stuff (I try to be an essentialist but the amount of outdoor gear, cooking supplies, and art I have is a bit ridiculous). When the majority of my items were finally in order I celebrated with a pasta dinner and a visit to some of my college friends where we hugged and laughed and caught up after not seeing each other for over three months.

Total mileage: 2601 miles

Saturday was my first full day in Burlington where I finished (mostly) unpacking and my parents met me for brunch at our favorite local bakery, August First, a quick hike up Mt. Philo, some grocey shopping, and sushi for dinner. I meant to write and update the blog on Sunday …. but time got away from me.

School officially started on Monday, and I am last minute writing, editing, and posting this on Tuesday after I finished my last class for the day and am about to begin the already mountainous pile of homework I have. Hopefully I’ll be back to a regular schedule soon, though I’m not sure who’s interested in my tiny little life other than my dedicated aunt and uncle who follow my adventures and my future self who will hopefully enjoy looking back on these rambling recounts of my escapades.

Here’s hoping for a great fall semester and please enjoy this photo gallery of the trip from most recent (Burlington) to oldest (start of the trip in Montana).